That Dangerous Presidio

Bill O'Reilly does not like San Francisco, and that is perfectly ok with me. I wish more people felt the same and move away. Then, maybe, I could actually buy a home in this town of my birth, during my lifetime. But, it's doubtful that will happen given The Bay Area's beauty, mild weather, and eclectic nature. Bill takes issue with the dirty streets and homeless. Yes, some streets are dirty and there are a lot of homeless in some areas. They don't bother me. They keep me humble and their plight is a social reality in this country.

"O'Reilly has now sent an underling to the city to make a documentary to show where, supposedly, the politics of President-elect Barack Obama will take the country." OK, this had me LOL! They are making a documentary of San Francisco NOW, when we've been under President BUSH for the past 8 years? Hello?

I did have to laugh when Bill mentioned "You wouldn't go to the Presidio at night,". Huh? I've been walking in the Presidio for over two decades. Yes, sometimes...gasp...even at night. If Bill ever wants to visit San Francisco, I'd be happy to give him a tour of neighborhoods with clean streets, working class people and the Presidio at night. I promise to protect him from the coyotes.

Here are some pics of a recent sunset walk in the Presidio...by the end, it was dark and foggy and...I loved it!
On our way down Greenwich Street (not too dirty, I might add and not a homeless person in sight!)
One of the former officer's homes that now rents for $6K+ a month!
Officer's row. GGBridge in the background...
Roman likes this house (click to make larger if you want to see Roman)

I like this little clapboard cottage...I would love to live in the Presidio...In fact, it has been a dream of mine forever...Now, you can rent in here for an exorbitant amount of money and you can only have ONE pet...One pet? I've never had only ONE pet!
Sunset at Crissy...ok, this was taken last May but it deserves a second showing...

Got Puppy part II

Hatching of the Silkworm Moth

OK, so I admit to being a little obsessed with these silkworm moths. But. Well. Their history and sad existence fascinates me. And. I was so excited to find one hatching before my eyes this morning! One of my main goals as a teacher is to teach the kids reverence for all life. After all, we are all connected; human, animal, plant, rock...If one species ceases to exist, I believe we lose a little bit of ourselves...

Man can no longer exist as if he, and he alone, is all that matters. Our purpose should be as guardian of the Earth and her creatures, not as selfish destroyer. If we want to save the Earth, we need to totally re work how we do things. Don't we owe this to our children and future generations?

What does this have to do with the silkworm moth? Um. Not much, I guess. But, the silkworm moth we have today is because of man. If we can create such beauty (silk) from the salivary glands of a caterpillar, if we can build amazing cities, invent penicillin, create art, split atoms, fly robots to Mars, invent the iPhone, and the internet; why can't we harness all that intelligence and create a world without poverty, hunger, wars, pollution and dying ecosystems?

(click on images to get more detail)

Got Puppy?

A friend is fostering this mama chihuahua mix and her 5 week old puppies.

Needless to say, I seriously want one. Can anyone give me good reasons not to get one of these little things? :)

Shadow

As I type this blog, Tikka waits at my side hoping for a belly rub. (Roman would be, too, but he's in a 'stay' on his bed). I just look down, and she rolls over. So, I better get off this computer and give the dogs some love. The weekend is here, and it's a beautiful afternoon...time to go for a walk to watch the sunset.

Roman Art

Sad Life of the Silkworm Moth

click on the images to enlarge!





My class is completing a Science Unit on the silkworm moth. We raised the caterpillars on mulberry leaves until they all pupated. Their cocoons are spun with one thin strand of silk almost a mile long. In order to harvest the silk, the cocoons need to be boiled in hot water, killing the insect before it can hatch. Then the silk is gently spooled. Because this has been the sole job of these creatures for centuries, we no longer find these moths in the wild. The adult moth cannot fly and has an undeveloped mouth, so he cannot eat. Once hatched, he only lives for 2-3 days in order to mate and lay eggs. So sad.

Our moths have started to hatch and they are so cute and soft. I'm saddened that they won't live past Monday :(

The Mayonnaise Jar of Life

(an image from this beautiful morning before Roman and that yelling man ruined it for me...yeah, yeah, I know...I ruined it for myself but I need to blame someone else for my misery right now)

I'm a sucker for inspirational quotes and stories, but I admit to having a hard time putting them into practice...it must be the dark side of the Irish in me or some residual Catholic guilt...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things in life. Your family, your children, your health, your beliefs, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else, the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the garbage disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Star Thrower

I have had several positive things happen these past couple of weeks, so why am I having a hard time staying positive? Is it the depressing economy, the holidays looming (with my wallet lighter than ever), the overworked/underpaid thing, Roman's recalcitrance, exhaustion, the feeling of never being able to get anything done, the mounds of papers everywhere, the dirty kitchen, all of the above?

I'm angry at myself for not being able to count my blessings, but I just feel like I'm carrying this heavy load all the time. It doesn't seem to matter how hard I work; I feel like I am making no difference at all. I can't even take a vacation...just to escape and get a break... as hoped due to a serious lack of funds (despite working two jobs, 50-60 hours a week!).

This morning, a man yelled at me because Roman charged his dog, then Roman got attacked by three dogs (no dog was hurt, but our walk was soured)! It was a gorgeous morning, but these incidents seemed to symbolize how out of control my life seems right now, despite all I am doing, all I've done and I simply cut the walk short and left; ignoring the beauty the morning was trying to show me. Of course, in the grand scheme of things it is not a big deal; Roman needs to have his training tightened up. He's suffered from neglect due to my long hours (oh the guilt). He'll get back on track, but will I?

I then came across this story I had kept with my 'inspirational quotes':

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"

Good Charlotte

This not so little spider has spun a huge web at the base of our front stairs. While I do not like spiders inside my house, I respect their vital role in our ecosystem and I more than welcome them outside of my house. Maybe she'll catch some of those nasty mosquitoes that seem to survive year round here (given that we are having 80 degree weather in the middle of November, it's no wonder).
It's too bad I could not capture the intricate beauty of her web...spun between the juniper and the house.
Charlotte's web is perfectly camouflaged as we pass under it several times a day...I just hope she doesn't decide to plop on my head or, worse, Erik's head gets tangled in the web now that he is almost 6 feet tall!

Retraining Recalcitrant Roman

One tenet of dog training many owners do not want to believe is...the training never stops. If you have a working breed, like GSDs, it can't stop due to their need to constantly be learning and active. But, life happens and even this dedicated trainer slacked these past few months due to a heavy work schedule. See, trainers are people, too! What is that saying about the cobbler's childrfen not having any shoes?

After Roman got a naughty report card from his dog walker (not holding his stay in the back of the truck), I knew I had to do something and get things balanced again. We are back on our training walks and lessons. While rusty, Roman is thrilled to be 'working' again. Notice how naughty he is in the second video...can you point out his recalcitrance? He knows when mom is tired, that is for sure!

He is doing much better in the first video. He held is down-stay at a good distance. When I released him, he came running to me...not a requirement, but greatly appreciated and a sign he is paying more attention to me. If you would like help in getting your dog to focus more on you and not other dogs, cats, squirrels, etc., please contact me:

http://www.angelacasey.com

German Shedders

German shepherds shed only once a year...but it lasts for 365 days! If you want a life without dog fur around, don't get a GSD...I'm still finding Lotte's white hairs around 4 years after her death. So, vacuums and swiffers are my friends and I have learned to live with the hair everywhere and enjoy the 5 minutes of hair free floors after a good swiffer.

Fall in SF

Not a lot of opportunities to experience trees changing colors here, but this one is giving it a pretty good go.

Time for a New Pack Leader...Vote Obama if You Love Animals

Roman, Tikka and I are waiting for the polls to open. They always come vote with me.

I'm voting for Obama for many reasons...one of them being that he is better for the animals. The Humane Society Legislative Fund endorses Barak Obama. This is the first time they have ever endorsed a presidential candidate. Their board of directors (composed of Democrats and Republicans) voted unanimously to endorse Obama because he is the better choice for the animals and their welfare. If you love animals the clear choice is Obama. If you are still undecided or leaning towards McCain/Palin, read more here.

Now, Obama does not have a dog...or any pet. To me, that shows responsibility since he is never home to care for the pet! He has promised his daughters a puppy if he is elected...and I hope he chooses to rescue a dog. McCain, on the other hand, does have 4 dogs and a menagerie of pets, but he's been quiet on his stance on many animal welfare issues. Palin is obviously no friend to the animals and certainly didn't help the poor pit bull's misunderstood nature (and how insulting to the pits).

So get out and vote for a new pack leader! It's time!

Soaking

Ah. Well, nothing lasts forever. The beautiful, warm October weather was quickly ushered out and we have now been enjoying pouring down rain for three days. Yes, enjoying. At least, for now. Yesterday's storm didn't stop me from taking the dogs to Ft. Funston. They love running around in a downpour. Hair and pants plastered to my body, we sloshed back to the car. The wet dog smell reminded me of my old Catholic high school uniform on rainy days (wet herringbone smells a lot like wet dog).

In other news, I'm so grateful for that extra hour of sleep due to turning our clocks back.

Fall is finally here with Winter waiting down the path. Time to go inward. Cozy. Warm. Fires. Soup.

Lottie Reincarnated II

Now I am truly weirded out. You might remember my post, Lottie Reincarnated.

Little Lottie is growing up quite well and I am going crazy since I cannot hug and squeeze her. While my Lotte was a white GSD and spelled her name sans /i/, this Lottie found a WGSD neighbor friend to play with. This gorgeous white shepherd's name is Mia...the name of another one of my dogs (she looked a bit like a black and white Tikka). I got Mia when I was 18 and she died when I was 33.

I certainly don't mind being haunted by my dead dogs. I do wonder about reincarnation in the animal world (and being a conservationist, it just makes more sense). I still can't bring myself to get another WGSD since Lotte was so special, I am afraid I would be constantly comparing the new dog. Anyway, dogs usually find me, not the other way around...maybe one day a WGSD will find I need him or her.

I digress.

Last week, while driving through the Presidio on a field trip, we passed the dog cemetery. One of my students asked me if my dogs were buried there.

"No," I replied. "They are buried under a pine tree in Lake Tahoe."

When I visit them, now accompanied by Roman and Tikka (who like to pee on this tree, btw), I pause. Remembering. Wishing. Hoping.